N57302

Substantial
Minor

PIPER PA28S/N: 28-7425085

Accident Details

Date
Friday, October 8, 2010
NTSB Number
ERA11CA013
Location
Louisville, KY
Event ID
20101008X84830
Coordinates
38.228054, -85.663612
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
4
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
4

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N57302
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
28-7425085
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1973
Model / ICAO
PA28P28A
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
PRICE BENJAMIN L
Address
1304 HOBBS LN
Status
Deregistered
City
FISHERVILLE
State / Zip Code
KY 40023-8756
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot, during his preflight planning, he estimated the fuel to be at 40 gallons by calculating fuel burn from two previous flights. The pilot departed for destination planning to land with 45 minutes of fuel reserve. The pilot stated that the airplane encountered winds stronger than forecast en-route and the airplane consumed more fuel than estimated. On descent for landing, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to glide to the runway; however, he decided to land on a freeway when "airspeed and maintenance on the glide slope slipped away." The airplane landed in the middle lanes of the freeway, skidded on the pavement and came to rest in a ditch resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and horizontal stabilizer. Post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that both tanks were absent of fuel and that no pre-impact mechanical anomalies existed.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA013